Padraig Harrington has criticised the European Tour for not giving Seve Ballesteros a central role.

The Spaniard, who is arguably the biggest name ever in European golf,is currently in intensive care in Madrid after having three operations to remove a brain tumour.

Three-time major winner Harrington said: "It is a shame that over the last number of years, he has not been leading out the European Tour as an ambassador.

"It's only when something like this happens that you see how much he's missed. Hopefully, going forward, the Tour can build more of a relationship with Seve and have him at the forefront of our Tour.

"Is it Harry Vardon we have on our new Tour thing (logo)? Why isn't it Seve? He is the man when you think about it. He is the European Tour, and it is at times like this that you kind of say, 'well, we wish we had more of Seve'.

"He has that sort of charisma, he just needs to enter a room and everyone knows he is there.

"It's only now you kind of recognise that an opportunity has been missed to give something back to Seve. Because there's no doubt he brought the Tour an awful lot over the years."